Crossbreed
by Amerath's Destiny
Summary: Perhaps Ava wasn't cut out for the sheltered life that Sootopolis City had to offer, and perhaps she wasn't ready to face the horrors of the outside world just yet. Still, nothing was going to stop her from facing her new life head on! ACCEPTING OCS!
1. Prologue

**A/N:** Oh, look! A new story! I must be psycho.

IF YOU WANT YOUR CHARACTER TO APPEAR IN THIS FANFICTION, PLEASE SEE THE BOTTOM OF THIS PAGE.

Please submit your ideas for a team name. If you don't, I'm just going to make up something stupid.

Um...I'll be ignoring a bit of Pokemon physics in this. Some of that will be explained...And, then again, some won't. Please bear with me.

Enjoy and Review!

* * *

In all of her seven years of life, Ava never would have guessed that sneaking into the Cave of Origin would have been this easy. A simple distraction had been all it took, with her three friends luring the guard off…And then she was in.

The Cave had been a place of fascination for her since she had been old enough to understand the word "forbidden". What could be down there? Treasure? A long-dead civilization? Rare pokemon? Whatever was hidden down there, it was enough to spark even the dullest of imaginations, and Ava's imagination was far from the dullest.

Unfortunately, the redhead hadn't expected the Cave of Origin to be so dark. Her flashlight had been flickering for the past several minutes now, and the bulb was slowly dimming. Soon, it would go out entirely. Ava wasn't afraid of the dark, but the idea of being alone in the deep blackness of the cave was enough to make anyone's knees start knocking.

There. The light was gone, and Ava couldn't see anything. But what could she do but keep walking?

So walk she did. She walked, and walked, and walked. How much time had gone by? She didn't know. All she knew was that she was cold and hungry and thirsty and her feet felt like they were going to fall off.

It was these same traitorous feet that tripped her and sent her tumbling. Her left arm struck a rock with a _crack_, and Ava howled in agony.

Whimpering, Ava clutched her arm to her body, letting out cries of pain every time she jostled it. Why had she come here? This was a stupid idea! She was lost and scared and in pain. She wanted to go home.

Still, as she rested her back against the rocky wall, Ava refused to cry. Crying wouldn't help her at all. She just needed to stay calm, think through the pain, and find a way out.

But how could she? Ava was beginning to think there was no way out of this blackness. She had been down here for hours, and no one had come looking for her. Maybe they wouldn't notice she was gone for years.

In that moment of clarity, Ava was sure she was going to die. Strangely enough, though she didn't like the idea, she wasn't scared. It was merely a statement of fact, something that was going to happen no matter how she fought it.

She was fading. Slowly but surely, Ava felt herself falling asleep. She wasn't so cold anymore, even though she was shaking violently. The pain in her arm was like a distant memory, and her mind felt hazy.

That was why she wasn't surprised when a warm body pressed itself next to hers. When she looked over through half-lidded eyes, Ava could see the pokemon's gleaming crystal eyes. A Sableye.

"Oh, hello," she mumbled. Her voice sounded strange to her ears, or maybe it was the echo of the cave. "Are you going to take me away when I die? Bury me in a secret Sableye tomb?"

The Sableye chattered something at her as Ava's head sunk to rest on her knees, not that she understood a word of it. It's teeth flashed brightly in the red and blue light.

Light…

Light! Ava's eyes shot open to take in the now-visible cave around her. The rock walls were tiered with paths running criss-cross through the stone; it was a wonder she hadn't fallen sooner. Buried into each wall was a red or blue crystal, each of which now emitted a bright glow. The entire cavern was aglow with light. Truly, it was one of the most amazing things the young girl had ever seen.

As she looked around the luminescent cave, Ava realized: She didn't want to die. She wanted to live. She wanted to see her parents breed powerful new pokemon. She wanted to help Cordelia start a herb shot in Sootopolis, just like in Lavaridge. She wanted to swim with her friends in the lake in the middle of town. She couldn't die here!

However, Ava's mind was getting fuzzy again. She was too weak to move, let alone stand, and she was shaking badly. Why had she wanted to get up? Why did she need to leave? She couldn't remember...

Ava felt a pair of warm arms pick her up just as her vision faded into blackness.

* * *

The first thing Ava noticed when she woke up was a tickling on her nose. She sneezed, and a startled cry issued from the crook of her arm. Paws padded their way up her body, and a weight settled itself onto her chest. When Ava opened her eyes, they were met by sea foam green orbs.

"Hello, Lazarus," she croaked, and the Eevee chirped a greeting in his own language.

For a moment, Ava couldn't remember what happened, so she focused on what she did know. She was laying in a bed, her own bed, in her own room, in what she assumed to be her house. Her left arm was in a cast, and ached dully. She had a feeling that if she moved it too much it would turn into a throbbing pain.

The Cave of Origin. Of course. She had fallen, and it seemed she had broken her arm. She remembered thinking she was going to die, and a Sableye, and…someone saving her? But who?

"How did I get out?" She asked the Eevee, stroking him behind the ears. Lazarus' green eyes slowly drifted shut, and a deep rumble emanated from in his chest. The undersized pokemon had hatched a little over a month back, from a line of Eevees and their evolutions that Ava's father had been breeding since he was young. Both of her parents had been surprised to see his bright green eyes. Ava's father had called Nurse Joy in, who told him not to worry. Apparently, pokemon breeders all over the world had been seeing strange mutations appearing in their prized pokemon, but so far, all had went on to live healthy, happy, normal lives, and she saw no reason why Lazarus couldn't do the same. Her parents had took it all in stride, even joking that they would breed a line of green-eyed Eevees and become known throughout the world.

"Ava, we've been worried sick about you!" And there they were now. Ava's mother came marching in, her brown hair falling out of its bun and green eyes flashing.

Her father was right behind her, running a hand through his red hair. "Sneaking into the Cave of Origin," he muttered. "What were you thinking?"

"You're lucky Wallace was there to save you," her mother scolded. "Who knows what could have happened?"

"I know. I'm sorry I did it," was Ava's honest reply.

Ava's father sighed and went down on his knees before her bed. "I suppose we're lucky we don't usually have this sort of trouble from you. Don't scare us like that," he murmured.

"Hey, Dad? Who's Wallace?" She had to know who her savior was.

"The Gym Leader here in Sootopolis," her mother explained, "But don't change the subject! You are in a lot of trouble, young lady!"

Lazarus leaped down from Ava's bed and strolled out the door. _Little stinker_, Ava thought. _He doesn't have to sit through this lecture_.

* * *

The first thing Ava did when she was un-grounded was visit the Gym. Anyone who wanted to could watch the intense pokemon battles going on inside. She quickly made her way to the back of the building, where a battle was already taking place.

At first, Ava couldn't believe her eyes. It was easy to see that the Gym Leader and his pokemon were strong, extremely so, but anyone could be powerful if they trained long and hard enough. But the way they _moved_ - It was almost like she was watching a dance. Each of his pokemon knew what Wallace wanted before he even called out the command, and the Leader himself constantly called out encouragements to his pokemon.

In the end, the challenging trainer lost. He never even had a chance, not with his unsure commands and his pokemon's clunky movements. He stood solemnly in the center of the arena, waiting to be told off by the Gym Leader.

Instead, Wallace smiled and rested a hand on his shoulder. He told the trainer that he did an excellent job, and he could tell that his pokemon really trusted and cared for him. Then, he invited him to come back and battle again as soon as he was ready.

As Ava left that day, she knew she had a new idol. She went home and penned a letter to the Gym Leader.

_Dear Mister Wallace,_

_Thank you for saving my life. I was really scared in that cave, but you found me and brought me home. I thought I was going to die, but you carried me back out into a life I will be sure to cherish._

_I saw your battle in your Gym today. I think you're really cool, and when I grow up, I want to be just like you!_

_Sincerely,_

_Ava Gallagher_

Ava never managed to get up the courage to deliver the note.

* * *

"Are you sure you'll be all right, dear?" Cordelia asked the eleven-year-old. Though the woman's brown hair was wisped with gray at the temples, her brown eyes still held the mirth and laughter of youth.

"Don't worry, Cordelia!" Ava grinned. "I'm eleven now. Lots of kids leave at ten to go on a journey with their pokemon. I'm just running an errand overnight! Besides, I have your Jacob with me." She patted the reliable Pelipper on its side. "He'll keep me safe. Won't you, Jake?"

The Pelipper cooed a cheerful reply, and Cordelia sighed. "Fine, fine. Remember, you have to meet up with Elizabeth in the Pokemon Center in Pacifidlog Town. It'll be evening by the time you get there, so she'll arrange for a place for you to stay the night. You can fly back in the morning with the package. And then," she sighed dreamily, "I can finally open up my herb shop."

Ava laughed and hopped up to sit between Jacob's wings. "I'll see you tomorrow," she called as the Pelipper took off. Cordelia watched her go until her pokemon was a tiny speck in the sky.

* * *

The pick-up had been a success, with Elizabeth's package now swinging beneath the Pelipper's body, gripped in his sturdy talons. Ava was nestled snugly between Jacob's wings, enjoying the wind in her face. Pacifidlog had been a gorgeous town. Ava had personally loved running between the floating wooden houses on the timber walkways. The tropical climate was enough to make anyone want to strip down and go swimming. Maybe she would move there when she was old enough.

Ava scowled when her glasses started slipping down her nose again. She had only gotten them recently, and for the most part, she didn't mind them. Actually, she thought they made her look quite intelligent. Unfortunately, they were constantly slipping down her nose while she was flying, forcing Ava to adjust them as she flew. She loosened her grip of Jacob's feathers to slide her glasses back up in front of her green eyes.

Then, Jacob hit a bump, tearing Ava's hand out of his down. She slid down his back and off of his tail feathers.

Suddenly, Ava was in free-fall. From this height, the ocean below would feel like concrete, snapping her spine as soon as she hit the water. And this time, Ava had no desire to die. A shriek escaped her lungs, but was torn away by the howling wind.

She didn't want to die, she didn't want to die, she didn't want to die, she wanted to live…

Just as she was about to hit the water, Jacob swooped down from the sky, catching her upon his back. The air rushed from Ava in an _oof!_ However, now she was back on the Pelipper's back, and he was climbing back up into the sky…

"No!" She cried. She didn't think she would be able to stand it, all the way up there, where a fall might kill her. "Let's not go too high," she whimpered.

Jacob obliged, and skimmed the waves the rest of the way home.

* * *

It was barely three months later when a stranger waltzed into the Sootopolis Gym. Of course, strangers weren't uncommon in the Gym, considering the number of trainers that challenged Wallace. Fewer and fewer were leaving the Gym victorious these days.

What was strange about this stranger was the way he carried himself, like he knew what he wanted and what was in his power to achieve. It was hard for Ava to tell if it was his confidence or something else that made the other trainers in the Gym step back and allow him into the back of the Gym without passing through the ice maze.

Their battle was incredible, and for once, Ava wasn't the only once watching. Both commanded extremely powerful and rare pokemon, that much was easy to see. Wallace and his team won the prize for beauty and grace hands down. But there was something else about the other trainer, something extraordinary. Something that made all the eyes in the gym watch his pokemon's every move.

In the end, it was the mystery trainer that won. Wallace took his defeat with grace. "It seems you have bested me once again. Congratulations. Perhaps, next time we meet, I shall be the victor."

The trainer just nodded and left.

When Ava returned home, she spotted the mystery man walking around the city. Now that she had a closer look at him, Ava swore by every legendary pokemon she knew that he had gray hair, even though he still looked to be in his early twenties.

Ava couldn't help but stop him on the road. "Who are you? Why does Wallace want to beat you so much?"

The trainer looked amused. "Why is it so important that you know?"

"Wallace saved my life four years ago," she told him bluntly. "Anyone that beats him has me to answer to! At least, they will, once I decide to start training pokemon. Or breeding them. Or maybe I'll compete in contests…" Ava quickly shut her mouth when she realized she was blabbering.

"If it means so much to you," said the mystery trainer, "I'll tell you. My name is Steven Stone, and I'm the Champion of the Hoenn region. Wallace wants to beat me because he wants to become Champion, and to do that, he must first unseat me…"

* * *

All of a sudden, people started leaving. "I'm going to Unova," announced one of Ava's friends. Her hair fell in dark ringlets around her pretty face. "I'm ready to be a pokemon master, and I can't do that here. It's so _stifling_." True to her word, she was gone a week later.

Two years later, after Ava had turned fourteen, her other two friends, the grinning boy with the spiky blond hair and the quiet, shy one that looked like he needed a haircut, announced that they were leaving for Kanto and Johto respectively. "Come with us, Ava," they cajoled her, but Ava refused.

"My place is here," she told them. "The people here need my help first. Maybe in another few years."

Three weeks later, the two of them left without Ava.

Then came the day, a year later, when Ava walked into the Gym, and Wallace wasn't there. Instead, his mentor, Juan, stood in his place. "Where is Wallace?" she asked him.

"Didn't you hear?" Juan looked surprised. "It's been all over the news. Wallace finally bested Steven and has been crowned Champion."

* * *

Three years passed by quickly. Ava helped Cordelia around her shop, which was becoming quite successful. Lazarus had evolved into a handsome Vaporeon, and had amassed his own collection of trophies that he had won in contests. Her parents were talking about finding him a nice girl Vaporeon to settle down and have some eggs with, only half-jokingly. Wallace continued as an unbeatable and untouchable Champion, someone Ava could only dream about or see on the television. She still went to the Gym to watch the battles, and though she loved watching Juan, it wasn't quite the same without Wallace there.

Then came the morning, shortly after Ava had turned eighteen, when that horrible shrieking began in Cordelia's shop. She raced in to see what was the matter…

Only to find Cordelia, curled in a corner with tears streaming down her face, and a monster writhing on the floor. Ava slapped a hand over her own mouth to keep from screaming.

The creature was only half human, with the tan skin and brown hair of a young woman a few years older than Ava. However, her lower half was distorted into some sort of red-and-black abdomen, with yellow, pointed extra limbs. She had a pair of yellow pincers where her lips should have been, and a harsh clicking sound came from deep within her throat. It almost sounded like, "They're everywhere! Everywhere!"

Then, the creature slumped into a dead faint, and Cordelia threw herself at her, wailing, "Who could have done this? Who would have wanted to do this to my lovely daughter?"

Ava retreated back out of the shop.

Three days later, the news reached the Gallagher household: Cordelia's daughter was dead.

By that time, though it took her a week longer to truly make her decision, Ava knew what she needed to do.

* * *

When Ava stepped out of her room, her mother turned and smiled at her. "Ava, I have wonderful news! Your father met this absolutely _gorgeous_ Leafeon named Helena at his last Contest. She's just got these lovely violet eyes, and, strangely enough, black fur and blue leaves, but you would just fall in love with her if you met her, dear! I know we've been joking about finding a nice female pokemon for Lazarus, but he's won enough awards and I really think it's time-" Then, she stopped, just noticing the bag slung over her daughter's shoulder. "You're leaving, aren't you?"

Ava nodded. "Mom, I…I don't know how to explain this. I've been saying I was going to change the world ever since I was young. I've said that whoever beats Wallace has me to answer to, I've said that I'm going to explore the Cave of Origin again and not get lost, and where has all this talking gotten me? Nowhere! Cordelia's been there for me ever since I was a little kid. I don't want to just talk when she's just lost her daughter. I was to _do_ something."

Slowly, Ava's mother nodded. "I understand, though I don't necessarily like it. What do you plan to do?"

"Cordelia's daughter was supposed to be vacationing in Sinnoh with her father before she turned up here. I figure that I should start looking there."

"Ava…Whatever happened with Cordelia's daughter is bigger than one person, I can feel it. Please be careful."

Ava hugged her mother, breathing in that warm, motherly scent one last time before she released her. "Don't worry about me," she grinned. "I'm Ava Gallagher, and I can do anything I set my mind to."

* * *

**A/N:** ARE YOU INTERESTED IN HAVING YOUR CHARACTER BE A PART OF THIS FANFICTION?

Oh, good. Because they can be. And boy, do I need them.

If you want your character to appear in this, just leave a review or drop me a PM with the relevant information. This includes name, gender, age, appearance, personality, pokemon (and their nicknames, genders, moves, personalities), hometown, and (established or future) relationship to the main character. Some people will balk at this, but it can be anything from random-trainer-Ava-battles to helpful-person-that-helps-her-find-someone. It can also be traveling partner, rival, love interest, member/admin of the opposing team, one of the three friends mentioned earlier in the chapter...Really, go wild.

It should be noted that I do not pick main characters lightly. Characters with long, in-depth, interesting descriptions will have more of a chance of being main characters. Pokemon with in-depth personalities are also good, since I've been thinking of doing a couple of chapters from the pokemon's point of view.

Now, the question that everyone's been wondering: Can my pokemon be a strange color? The answer is: Yes! Part of the story is that these strange mutations have been taking place in pokemon. Of course, you can't have your entire team be strangely colored, as the phenomenon is still relatively rare. Please keep it limited to one strangely colored pokemon per team, unless you can give me a REALLY good reason. Smaller differences, such as eye color, will be accepted as many times as you like. However, I reserve the right to judge what is and what is not a "small" difference".

I would prefer that you give me fully evolved pokemon and moves, so I can downgrade them depending on where we are in the story and evolve them as time passes.

Sinnoh is not the only region Ava will be visiting, so if you would like your trainer to show up later, let me know! I won't do Unova until BW2 is out, though, and Hoenn will probably be last due to Ava's beef with Wallace and Steven.

Thank you, and good luck!


	2. A Journey

Ava was grateful to have the chance to finally stretch her legs on dry land. The boat ride from Hoenn to Sinnoh had taken three days, and had brought her into a city called Sunyshore. It had taken some doing to commission a ship captain to take her around the south of the region and up the river to Lake Verity, but late that evening she found a small fishing vessel that was headed up that way. Ava thanked her lucky stars that she never got motion sickness; at least, not on the water.

Finally, around noon the next day, Ava was jostled awake by one of the fishermen. The shore of Lake Verity was in sight, and it was an easy trip to Twinleaf Town from there.

The redhead held up the address gripped in her right hand, comparing it to the one on the apartment building in front of her. "Looks like this is the place," she said to herself. She opened up the front door to the building with one of the two spare keys Cordelia had given her. Then, it was up the stairs to the top floor, to the last door on the right. Apartment number 508. She unlocked the door with the second of the two spare keys.

The sight in front of her made Ava stop in her tracks. Furniture was overturned, and drawers had their contents strewn across the ground. Deep gouges marked the floor and walls. Soot even covered a few areas of the room, as if it had been scorched. It seemed a violent pokemon battle had taken place, and no one had bothered to clean it up.

Ava swallowed her trepidation and stepped into the house. If she had any doubts that no one was in the house before, they were gone now. Whatever had happened here, it had caused Cordelia's daughter and husband to leave. That, or they were taken.

Abby had passed on already. But what had happened to Cordelia's husband, Noah?

Suddenly, the apartment seemed too small, stifling, even. Ava rushed out, pulling the door shut behind her before leaning against it, sliding down to sit with her knees curled up in front of her. She held her hands in front of her, trying to stop their trembling.

Who would do something like this? Why would they go after Abby and Noah? They were good people, they didn't have many enemies, if any at all.

Ava shook her head so clear her head of such questions before sliding her oval glasses farther up her nose. Panicking would not help her find Noah.

Despite all the questions, two things were very clear to Ava. One: Whoever had kidnapped Noah and Abby and trashed their apartment had powerful pokemon. They had probably been training them for years.

That brought her to number two: If Ava wanted any chance of finding Noah, she needed to be able to fight whoever had abducted him. That meant getting a pokemon and becoming a pokemon trainer.

Ava rested her head in her hands, cursing softly. She had never wanted to be a pokemon trainer. True, she had always liked pokemon, especially water pokemon. But she had never seen herself as a trainer, or even a coordinator or breeder. The closest she had come to a career working with pokemon was volunteering at the Pokemon Center in Sootopolis City, which she had enjoyed. She wanted a job where she could help people and pokemon, not fight them!

Maybe she could still get out of it. The man who gave out starter pokemon in Sinnoh, Professor Rowan, had his lab in Sandgem Town. To get there from Twinleaf, you had to take Route 201, which was full of wild pokemon. It was dangerous to travel the routes unless you had your own pokemon. So, she would take the shipping vessel back to Sunyshore, then a larger ship back to Sootopolis.

Then, she would face Cordelia, and tell her that she couldn't help avenge her daughter, and that she couldn't find her husband…

The image of tears streaming down Cordelia's face as she clutched her mutilated daughter was enough to revive Ava's determination. She had to get to Sandgem Town, _and_ get a pokemon, _and _become a powerful trainer. She couldn't stand to see Cordelia cry like that again, not ever, not even if the idea of going out into the big, wide world terrified her.

So Ava did what she always did when she was afraid. She took a deep breath, clenched her fists to hide their trembling, and put on a huge, fake grin. If she wore it long enough, it would eventually turn into a true smile, if only because the strange looks people gave her made her chuckle.

Ava descended the steps of the apartment and let herself out of the front gate. First things first, she needed to get to Sandgem Town and speak with Professor Rowan. That meant passing through Route 201, which meant she would have to either brave the wild pokemon on her own or find a trainer to take her through.

Being ever-cautious, Ava chose the second option. The redhead was glad she was friendly, and not too shy to go up and ask someone to help her out.

Lucky for her, there seemed to be a trainer setting out across the route just as she got to the exit to town. He was a tall, gangly young man about Ava's age, with silvery hair hidden under a white fedora.

"Hey, wait up!" She called after him. When he turned around, she could see he wore wire-rimmed glasses over his blue eyes.

"You wouldn't mind taking me through to Sandgem, would you?" she asked, her grin slowly becoming less fake as she spoke. "I'm going to get my first pokemon from Professor Rowan, and I'd rather not get attacked on the way." She chuckled.

"Aren't you a little old to be just getting your first pokemon?" He raised an eyebrow at her.

Ava winced at that. "Yeah…I actually was never planning to become a trainer, but sometimes things come up in life," she shrugged.

"I suppose they do." He held out his hand, and Ava shook it. She couldn't help but notice the ruby the size of her thumb resting on his middle finger. "Devin Powell, Mystery Hunter. When I'm not searching for adventure, I sell Skarmory-feather swords." _That_ brought a twinge of a smile to his lips.

"Ava Gallagher, Normal Girl and Trainer-To-Be," she grinned, falling into step with him as he started walking down the route. "Sorry, I don't have any titles. And _Skarmory-feather swords_?"

Devin nodded. "I didn't mumble, did I?"

"No, but why would anyone ever need one?"

"The world is getting more dangerous by the day." All of a sudden, his voice dropped into a murmur. "Did you hear about the man and his daughter that were kidnapped a month back?"

Ava stiffened. He was taking about Abby and Noah!

"They say that they were kidnapped by a group of people in strange uniforms. No one knows what happened to them, but there are strange rumors spreading throughout the region. All you have to do it listen for them." He was still murmuring.

"What kind of rumors?" Ava whispered back.

"Ones that concern the origins of humans and pokemon, as well as the beginning of their partnership."

Ava was going to ask more about these 'rumors', as he put it, but was interrupted when a Starly flew out of the trees, screeching and calling at them as it tried to smack their faces with its wings. Luckily, both Ava and Devin managed to duck in time.

"Go, Torch!" Devin threw a pokeball, and a Magcargo burst out in a flash of red light. Strangely enough, his shell had slivers of diamond embedded in it.

"Torch, use Flamethrower!" With a cry in his own language, Torch breathed a flame hot enough that Ava had to protect her face from the heat with her arm.

The Starly went down. Then, slowly, if got up again. It screeched once more at them, as if to say, "Stay off my turf!" before limping away.

"And that is why you need pokemon to protect you," instructed Devin. "Sandgem Town is right there," he pointed further down the path.

Sure enough, Ava could see buildings through the trees. "Thanks!" She called as she took off toward the town.

Then, she skidded to a halt. She still needed to ask him about those rumors! She whirled to call after him…

But he was already gone.

"Guess I just have to follow his watch-and-listen advice," she murmured to herself as she walked toward the lab.

The lab was much smaller than she expected. A few researchers worked on machines that did Arceus knew what. A few pokemon ambled around the floor, while she could see others frolicking outside through the window.

A girl with black hair and a red scarf walked up to Ava. "Hello, my name's Hikari! I'm one of Professor Rowan's assistants. Can I help you with something?"

"Yes, I'm here for my first pokemon." Ava smiled.

"Of course! Right this way." Hikari led Ava down a hallway and into a room where a man with gray sideburns and a bushy mustache stood, setting three pokeballs out onto a tray. "Professor Rowan, this is…"

"Ava Gallagher," Ava supplied helpfully.

Hikari smiled at Ava in thanks. "This is Ava. She's here to pick out a pokemon."

"Of course," was the professor's response. One by one, he pressed the buttons in the middle of the pokeballs and released the pokemon inside.

The first was a monkey with orange fur. A small fire burned where a tail should have been. It immediately jumped onto the table, then onto a bookshelf, then leaped to hang from the rafters. "This is Chimchar, the fire-type starter," Professor Rowan insructed as he reached up to lift the pokemon down onto the floor again.

Next was a blue penguin pokemon. It glanced around the room, taking in everything around it. "This one is Piplup, the water-type starter."

Last was a green-and-brown turtle pokemon with a leaf on top of its head. It immediately sauntered up to Hikari and leaned against her legs. "This is Turtwig, the grass-type pokemon."

Ava glanced over all three pokemon. "Any recommendations, Hikari?" She asked the professor's aide.

"Well, I'm always partial to Piplup. A Piplup was my starter," Hikari tapped a finger against her chin as she thought. When the Turtwig whined a complaint, she bent down to stroke its shell. "Of course, this little guy is obviously adorable too," she cooed. "If it helps you make your decision, these two are males," she pointed to the Turtwig and the Chimchar, "And she's a female," she pointed to the Chimchar that currently had her fists buried in Professor Rowan's sideburns.

"Then I think I'll have to go with the Piplup," she replied easily. Hikari returned the three pokemon to their pokeballs and handed her the one that contained the Piplup. Professor looked relieved that he hadn't lost too much facial hair.

"This is the normal trainer starter pack," Hikari told Ava, shoving multiple items into her hands. "A Pokedex, a map of the region, five pokeballs, and a potion. By the way, do you want to nickname your Piplup?"

"I'll think about it," she told Hikari as she headed for the door. "Thanks for all your help!"

By then, the sun was setting in the sky. It was too late to head on to Jubilife City, and Ava was tired from her long day. Besides, she wanted a chance to get to know her new Piplup!

Instead, she headed toward the Pokemon Center and rented a room for the night. Then, she settled down in front of the PC, her new Piplup on her lap, and composed an email to everyone on her contact list.

_Dear friends and family,_

_As you may or may not know, I've decided to leave home to start a pokemon journey. To some of you, this may come as a surprise. Little Ava, gone from Sootopolis City? Never!_

_I'm eighteen now. I'm long overdue for an adventure._

_Of course, I'm not necessarily going willingly. But, sometimes, things are asked of us that we're not necessarily ready for. I _will _fulfill the goal I've come here to accomplish, no matter what._

_In any case, I've arrived safely in the Sinnoh region, and have picked up my first pokemon, a Piplup I've decided to name Blizzard. I have a feeling we're going to get along splendidly._

_By the way, do any of you know a way to train pokemon to become powerful quickly? To achieve what I need to achieve, I need to get strong, fast, and I have no idea how to do that._

_Also, have any of you heard of rumors about the origins of people and pokemon, and the beginning of their partnership?_

_I wish you all the best,_

_Ava Gallagher_


	3. Mail Time

When Ava awoke the next morning, a total of five messages waited in her email inbox. Blizzard sat next to her, happily munching on Ava's pastry while she was distracted.

The first came from Rachel Davidson, an old friend of Ava's. The two had met only a year back, when Rachel had come to challenge Wallace.

_Ava!_

_It's so great to hear from you again! I'm really excited you decided to take a journey with pokemon._

_Why is it so important you get strong quickly? In any case, you should try taking the Gym Challenge. Eight leaders wait for you across each region, waiting to take you on. Just battling the leaders themselves won't help, you actually have to battle other people too! But it's a great way to motivate yourself and your pokemon to train._

_By the way, I'm in Sinnoh as well. We should try to meet up! How about Jubilife City?_

_-Rach_

Ava had to grin at that. It would be nice if her journey wasn't so lonely.

The second was from her old friend Luke Stephans, who had left for Kanto years before.

_Ava._

_YOU'VE left on a pokemon journey? What happened to your place in Sootopolis?_

_Good grief, what did you do this time? Did you get kicked out? You're such a troublemaker! Ha ha._

_I'd suggest facing off against the Gym Leader as you go through the region. That'll definitely toughen you up._

_A little tidbit of advice in case you leave Sinnoh - Every time you enter a new region, you're considered a "rookie trainer"._ _That means you can pick up one of the three starter pokemon from the region's lab. Those starters are nearly impossible to find in the wild, partially because the females are so rare. But, you'll have to leave your original pokemon in the Pokemon Center for a while. The Professors will let you cheat the system, but you have to at least pretend to start over for a little while._

_Also, if your starters ever have eggs, please share. I know I would love a Unova starter, but Cici, who has a TWO female starters, refuses to give me any. I really, really hope your Blizzard is a female Piplup. It's that, or invest in the Ditto breeding business, and you know how we all feel about that._

_By the way, don't expect emails from Cici or Nick. Nick tends to get his head buried in his research and doesn't notice anything else. And Cici…Well, she's Cici._

_Then again, maybe Cici will be nicer to you, since you're a new trainer (and a girl, but minor details, minor details). I'll give her a call and let you know._

_Train hard, little miss goody two shoes!_

_-Luke_

Ava scowled. She made a mental note to write Luke a strong email about when breeding pokemon was appropriate.

The third message was from Alton Joy, a friend she had met in Pacifidlog Town when she was young. The two had been exchanging letters and emails ever since.

_Dear Ava,_

_Uh, I don't know too much about getting stronger. But I would suggest the gym challenge._

_Actually, the best way to get stronger is to take care of your pokemon! You won't win any battles if your pokemon don't like you. Foster your friendship, and the rest will come with time._

_If you need anything at all, please let me know. I'll try to find out what I can about where people and pokemon came from_

_-Alton_

"Looks like we're taking the Gym Challenge, Blizzard," Ava murmured to her Piplup. Blizzard blinked at her, glancing between the half-eaten pastry and his redheaded trainer. Ava sighed and rolled her eyes at him. "Go ahead and finish it. I'll grab another on the way out." The words were only half out of her mouth before the blue pokemon shoved the rest of the croissant into his mouth.

The fourth email was from her mother's email account, but the writing echoed of both her parent's writing. Ava felt her heart give a little throb at the thought of them being halfway around the world.

_Ava, sweetie, whatever it if you set out to do, we wish you luck. Just stay safe and call home occasionally! We're your parents, we're always going to worry about you. But you need to get out there and learn about yourself!_

Ava winced at that phrase. "If they wanted me out of the house, why didn't the just say so?"

The message continued.

_Also, we sent a surprise to you in Sandgem Town. Take good care of it! We hope we might be able to send you more surprises as your journey continues. Some of these pokemon are getting rather rowdy. It would do them good to get out in the world and learn about themselves, just like you! This way, you'll have some kindred spirits along the way._

_-Your loving mother and father_

A surprise? Sure enough, when Ava glanced over, Nurse Joy was waving at her, beckoning her toward the counter.

She held up a finger, asking for a moment more. She still had one more email to read!

The last email, surprisingly enough, was from Cecilia Marx, another of Ava's old friends. Cici had left for Unova years before. "Didn't Luke just tell me not to expect an email from her?" she murmured to herself. But, not matter how many times she blinked, the sender was still "CCM".

_Ava-_

_This isn't a gift. This is a loan until you can pay me back._

_Actually, I don't even want to call him a loan. I had to drop off all my pokemon at the Daycare or the Pokemon Center before going into the Entralink in the center of the region. Apparently, all the guards were Team Plasma sympathizers before they were disbanded, so though they don't steal pokemon anymore, they don't let any captured pokemon in either._

_So what do I find when I get back? MY Sylva, gallivanting around with someone else's Serviper!_

_In any case, I had an egg, and it hatched to be a male. I have no use for weaklings on my team. You can have him. Call him what you will, I did not name him. I'm sure you can think of something creative._

_In return, I want you to send me a Finneon. I need a water pokemon in my party, I'm too unbalanced right now. It must be female, there is no question of that. I hear they can be found just outside Floaroma Town, in the area known as the Valley Windworks._

_You're lucky I'm so charitable to my friends. I could be asking for interest, like another pokemon I want you to send to me. (Luke probably gave you his ridiculous lecture on starters. Keep them unique, that's my opinion.) Ava, I could ask you to give me your first born child in exchange for this. Any child of one of my pokemon is sure to be strong, no matter the gender._

_I'll keep my ears open for anything about the origins of people and pokemon. In return, I expect you to train hard so I can battle you on equal terms one day. Not that you'll be able to beat me!_

_I'll be looking forward to it._

_-CCM_

Ava had to chuckle a little after reading Cici's letter, even if it was edged with nervousness. With Luke, it was always easy to tell when he was joking, because everything he said was tinged with a light and humorous air. With Cici, it was harder to tell, especially in the context of an email, when she couldn't hear her voice. Ava hoped she hadn't really gotten as stuck up as she sounded in the years since they'd last seen each other. Then again, Cici had always had a sort of superiority complex.

"Ava, are you done yet? A couple of things arrived for you in the middle of the night," Nurse Joy called over to Ava, jerking her out of her reverie. The redhead stood and walked over to the counter.

"I heard! Sorry, I was just checking my email," she smiled. "Apparently my friends are sending me gifts for taking the plunge and becoming a pokemon trainer."

"Congratulations!" the pink haired nurse grinned. "This first one came from the Pokemon Center in Sootopolis City."

Ava had been expecting a pokeball, perhaps of a pokemon her parents had bred. Instead, the object Nurse Joy placed on the counter was much larger. It was a little larger than the length of her hand from wrist to fingertips, and oblong in shape. The outside was a cream dotted in lime green.

"And egg?" Ava picked it up, weighing it in her arms. It wasn't too heavy, and she would probably be able to fit it into her bag, but Ava had no desire to put the fragile object in a place where it could be so easily broken. She would be better off carrying it.

"Exactly! All you need to do it walk around with it. The pokemon inside should feel loved. Once it trusts you enough, it will hatch." Nurse Joy confirmed.

"How can a pokemon that hasn't even been born yet trust someone?"

"That is one of the greatest mysteries of life, Ava. But babies love their mothers and mothers their children before they are born, don't they? Why shouldn't it be the same with pokemon and their trainers?"

Ava nodded. She could see the sense in that. "Thank you very much." A smile ghosted over her lips. She had a nagging suspicion about just what was inside this egg…

"There was one more thing," Nurse Joy said as she pulled a red and white pokeball off of a shelf. "This came from Castelia City, in Unova." That meant that this one was from Cecilia.

Ava took the pokeball from Nurse Joy and pressed the button in the center. Out popped a long, thin green pokemon with a creamy stomach and three leaves at the end of its tail. There was something very refined and smug in its brown eyes.

"Of course!" Ava had never seen one of these pokemon in person, but she remembered the pictures Cici had sent to her of her starter, Sylva the Snivy. She had grown over the years, and Ava supposed she was a full-grown Serperior by now.

Gently, Ava picked up the Snivy. Something in its gaze seemed very regal, very noble to her. "I think I'll call you Anjay," she decided. "It sounds like a name fit for a prince. Go introduce yourself to Blizzard while I get my things. I need to figure out where the first Gym is!"

"Oreburgh!" Nurse Joy called after her.

With her bag slung over her shoulder and the egg tucked in her arms, Ava headed toward Route 202. The sky was gray and overcast; it seemed like it would start pouring rain at any moment. Thankfully, Ava didn't mind getting wet. She had always loved the water…

Right outside the city, a small stump sat, from a tree cut down long ago. That seemed as good a place as any. Carefully, the redhead set the egg down on the ground, making sure it wouldn't role, before calling out both Blizzard and Anjay.

"It seems I haven't had a chance to battle with either of you yet. Might as well have a practice battle right now!" Ava pulled out her Pokedex and searched for the moves that Snivy and Piplup knew.

"All right, let's try this. Blizzard, use Pound!" The Piplup rushed forward, its right fin glowing. He smashed it down on the old stump, creating a chink in the wood.

"Now use Bubble!" Blizzard opened his beak, and a stream of bubbles flew out and struck the stump. A couple of loose pieces of bark went flying, but the stump remained largely intact, excluding the fin-shaped hole where the Piplup had originally attacked it.

"It probably works better on pokemon," Ava assured her dejected starter. "I definitely would have been scared by that. Anjay, your turn!"

The Snivy stepped forward. "Anjay, use Tackle!" The green pokemon charged forward and struck the stump with his body. "Now use Vine Whip!" Green vines sprung from the yellow leaves surrounding Anjay's neck and lashed at the wood. Bark went flying.

"One more! Anjay, use Wrap!" The vines sprung from Anjay's throat once more and wrapped around the stump. The grass pokemon then wrapped its paws around the vines and pulled and pulled and pulled - but could not uproot the stump, though Ava could hear its roots straining.

"That's enough, both of you. I have a feeling that any trainers that come across us on Route 202 are going to be sorry they messed with us!" Ava laughed as she called her pokemon back into their pokeballs and tucked them back into her belt.

As she took her first steps toward Jubilife City, the sky opened up and the rain began to fall.

* * *

**A/N:** HM. I WONDER WHAT'S IN THAT EGG. (As if I wasn't being obvious...)

To those of you that saw your OC this chapter: THEY WILL BE SEEN AGAIN IN NON-EMAIL FORM. I'm not the cruel. But, they may or may not be a main character. Actually, I still haven't picked main characters yet.

By the way, sorry for the delay in update. I've had projects and finals to finish up. I'm also sorry that you've got this terrible chapter after such a long wait. I was originally planning to have this combined with the next chapter, but I'm trying to have relatively consistent chapter lengths.

It should be noted that this story will be one half plot, one half plotless OT story. Apologies if any chapters seems slow.

Reviews are greatly appreciated, as always.

~Amerath


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